Thrust-bearing.



C. A. PARSONS.

THRUST BEA APPUCATIN FILED] ,19|3. L''l Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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THRUST BEARING.

, APPLICATION TILED IuNE 2. T913. 1.201971. Patented Deo. 5,1916. I a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

IN ENTINT IIITNEssEs- I WW N CQMW j 'hm Vg@ Za/:2l wwf/6640- WMWM M' ATTORNEY C. A. PIDIRSONSJ THRUST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED IUNE 2,19Is.

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ATTORN EY CHARLES ALGERNON PARSONS, 0F NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, ENGLAND. l

THRUST-BEARING.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

Application led June 2,1913. Serial No. 771,362.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES `ALGrmNoN PARSONS, K. C. B., a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at V 'Heaton Works, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in the county of Northumberland, England,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thrust-Bearings, of which the followingI is a specification.

This invention relates to-thrust and other bearings of the type in which one of the bearing surfaces is formed of a number of bearing or pressure blocks pivotally supported upon a carrying member.

The object of the present invention is to provide a form of such bearings in which the pressure is more uniformly distributed over the bearing or pressure blocks than has been possible hitherto, and also to obtain other advantages.

The invention consists in a thrust or other bearing in which the bearing or pressure blocks supported from a carrying member are capable of movement 'about any axis passing through their point of support.

The invention also consists in the thrust and other bearings as hereinafter described.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings Figure 1 represents partly in elevation and partly in section a marine thrust block according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same partly in elevation and partly in section, the latter being taken on the line A` A of Fig. 1, in the direction of the arrow, 1. The sectional view,V in Fig. '1 is taken on the line B B of Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the method of supporting the pressure blocks upon the carrying member. Fig. 4 is a view of a slide for a recip ocating engine according to the present invention. Thisfgure is a sectional view on theline C C of"- Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line D D of Fig. 4.-, while Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the slide. Y

In carrying this invention into effect as the moving surfaces.

ries the brasses, g g, of a bearing surrounding the shaft, a.. One face of the carrying member e, is substantially parallel to the face of the thrust collar, of the shaft, a. This face is recessed as shown to take three pressure blocks, h. At the back of each of these recesses is bored a hole into which are inserted pins, z', having flat surfaces preferably. projecting slightly above' the surface of the carrying member, e; the eX osed face of each 0f these pins, z', is prefera ly case-hardened. Each of the'bearing or pressure blocks, 7L, in its rear face has a similar hole formed in it, and a similar in j, inserted therein. .The exposed face of) this pin projects above the surface of the pressure block, and is rounded so as to form a spherical surface, this face being also preferably casehardened.

Fig. 3 shows portions of a pressure block, h, and carrying member e,'w ith the respective pins, y' and z', inserted therein, from which the contact of the spherical surface of the pin, j, on the flat surface of the pin z', is easily seen. Pressure blocks, la., supported in this manner may be provided on both sides of the thrust collar, b, in cases, such as the one described when the thrust forces on the shaft may actin either direction.

It will be seen that by this invention each bearing or pressure block h, is spherically pivoted upon the carrying member, e,-and is free to move about any axis passing through the point of contact of the spherical face of the pin j, upon the fiat face of the pin z'. Thus each pressure block h, is free to adjust itself to the face of the thrust collar b, on the shaft a, with which it contacts, notwithstanding any irregularities which may exist or arise in the alinement of the supporting structures of the thrust block in relation to In this manner the pressure between the contacting surfaces is uniformly distributed over each pressure block 71., in a radial direction, notwithstanding any such Want of alinement. Further, the spherical seating of the carrying member, e, upon the parts c d, of the outer casing provides still further accommodation for inequalities of alinement, and enables the total pressure to be uniformly distributed between the v-arious pressure blocks. Thus, a very uniform distribution of pressure not only between the blocks but also over the surface of each block is obtained by this inhvention. Further, as illustrated in this instance, each point of support may lie in the radial line which bisects the area of the contacting surface of the pressure block, so that the direction of relative motion may be changed, and the thrust block be madeapplicableto conditions in which the direction of rotation of the shaft is liable to be reversed.

Lubricant may be admitted to the thrust block in any convenient manner, and will be drawn in between the contactingsurfaces-of the thrust collar and the faces of the bearing or pressure blocks, h; the lubricant will then form a film between these contacting surfaces, which film will be thicker at the leading edge of the block L, than at its trailing edge. v Moreover, as the pressure between the contacting surfaces is uniiform in a radial direction this film will be of constant thickness in a radial line across the pressure block. In this manner, as above remarked, the pressure on the pivoted blocks is more uniformly distribute The invention is also applicable to bearings such as the slides of a reciprocating engine or to the thrust blocks of locomotive engines or steamships, and to other bearings generally.

The application of the' invention .to the first-mentioned purpose is shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6. In these figures is shown a slipper Z, of a reciprocating engine moving between the guides m, n. This slipper is provided with a pin, o, on which is mounted the con.

necting rod, p, the piston rod being represented by tlie lettel` g. Each face of the slipper in contact with a guide is recessed, and four pins, 1, let into the face of this recess; the projecting ends of these pins are rounded to a spherical surface and preferably case-hardened. .Pressure plates 8,. are

' placed in the recessed surface of the slipper Z, each of these plates being recessed on its under side into which recess is placed a casehardened pin, t, the face of which is slightly below the face of4 its respective pressure plate. The projecting spherical end of the pin 7', contacts with the surface of the casehardened pin t, in one of the pressure plates s. In this way, each of the pressure plates, s, can move about any aXis passing through the point of contact of the pin r, upon the pin s. Screws u, may be provided, if desired, to prevent the pressure, plates s, from revolving about the axis of the pins r. Such 'screws u, project into corresponding holes in the pressure plates s, suitable clearance, however, being allowed.

As illustrated, four pressure plates, s, are

vprovided on each face of the slipper l, this or a larger number being desirable to prelvent any tendency of the piston rod g, to

turnabout its aXis. Any number and arrangement of plates vmay, however, be adopted.

The details of construction necessary in carrying this invention into effect may, of course, be varied, without in any way departing from the spirit of the same.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In combination a non-rotating element having a flat face and a spherical surface upon its back, said flat face being adapted to support a member in sliding contact therewith, a second element having a flat surface, said flat surface co-acting with said spherical surface to form a fulcrum about which said element can rock.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

CHARLES LGERNON PARSONS.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK JORDON HAY BEDFORD, ALBERT WILLIAM PARR. 

